Using MyUSPTO - Widgets

MyUSPTO widgets are small applications that display snippets of important information on the MyUSPTO homepage. Our widgets are shortcuts to larger USPTO applications and affiliated sites.

What does the "Alpha" label next to the widget title mean?

It's a very early version of the widget that may not contain all features planned for the final version.

Not for official use.

How do I change what fields are displayed on the expanded view of my Patent or Trademark Docket?

Go to the Actions area within the Full screenview of your docket to set your personalized view.

Where did my Trademark Application Docket go?

The Trademark Application Docket is now the Trademark Docket. You can now add registered trademarks to this docket and track everything in one location.

What is the Trademark Docket notification option for updates to certain prosecution history entries?

A prosecution history update occurs when some action has been taken on an application or registration. We identified certain history entries that our customers may want to know about because those entries may identify unauthorized changes.

A notification bell icon will appear when certain prosecution history entries are updated in cases in your docket. This bell also appears when updates are made to the status of cases in your docket.

Which prosecution history updates are included in the Trademark Docket notification option?

A small subset of prosecution history changes was chosen because they may indicate unauthorized changes to a trademark case. This subset does not reflect all possible changes that can be made to cases in your docket. We may add more history changes in a future release.

What is my responsibility for monitoring the status changes of cases in my Trademark Docket?

These notifications are sent only as a courtesy. Failure by the USPTO to send a notification or non-receipt of a notification does not excuse you from complying with or meeting any relevant legal obligations, requirements, or deadlines. Always check the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) database to review status information and documents.

What should I do if I get a Trademark Docket notification of status or certain prosecution history changes?

From your MyUSPTO docket, click on the serial number to view the record in TSDR.

To see the current status, select the “Status” tab and scroll down to “Status” (underneath the Status Descriptor symbol).

To see the prosecution history entries, select the “Status” tab and scroll down to “Prosecution History” and click on it. To see the documents that correspond to the prosecution history entries, select the “Documents” tab. Check for a document with a date that matches or is near the date you received the prosecution history notification. Click on the document description to view the document that was submitted

What should I do if I see a Trademark Docket notification regarding an unauthorized change?

If you are notified about a change to your application or registration that you did not authorize, including a change to one or more email addresses, email TEAS@uspto.gov with the following information:

The type of document or form that was filed (examples: Change of Correspondence Address form or Change of Owner Address form).

The date of the filing

Using MyUSPTO - Basics

What is the MyUSPTO homepage?

MyUSPTO is a personalized collection of widgets that serve you recent news, information, and status changes. We are adding new customizable features monthly to make your MyUSPTO homepage increasingly useful as a launch pad into your USPTO activities.

How can I personalize my MyUSPTO homepage?

From the MyUSPTO homepage, you can change the placement of your widgets via the “Arrange widgets” button. You can also add and remove widgets using the widget library by selecting the “Add widgets” button.

How do I create an account?

Please visit https://my.uspto.gov and select the “Create an account" button. You will be asked to enter the email address you will use to sign in, as well as other necessary account information. To continue, please verify the ReCaptcha and select the terms of service and privacy policy check box,

Once completed, the page will notify you that an email was sent to the provided email address. The email sent will provide you with instructions on how to activate your account. The account activation link will expire in 48 hours so it is advised to check your email and select the link as soon as possible.

After you have successfully activated your account, please create your password and security questions. You will also need to provide additional account information in order to complete your registration.

Is there a cost to sign up?

There is no cost to sign up with for a USPTO.gov account.

How do I securely sign out of my USPTO.gov account?

For your security and to help protect your account, select your name in the top navigation and choose the sign-out option when you are ready to end your session. While fully closing your browser will sign you out, closing a tab will not sign you out.

Managing my account - Account issues

Why am I receiving “There was an error with the system, please try again later” when I sign into MyUSPTO?

Older versions of Internet Explorer 11 are causing error messages with the MyUSPTO sign in feature. If you are unable to update your browser version or use an alternate browser (e.g., Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox) please sign by using https://fees.uspto.gov/ and selecting MyUSPTO under your personal account icon.

Managing my account - Password

How can I change my password?

To change your password, please visit your accounts page.

At the top right of the blue navigation bar, you will see your name along with a carat icon next to it. Select your name and you will be given a drop down list of options. One of the options is “Account”, please select the link in order to proceed. Once selected, you will be taken to your account page where you will be able to change your password.

How often do I need to change my password?

If you created your uspto.gov password before June 14, 2016, you will be asked to reset your password 60 days later. Then, after you change your password, you will not be asked to reset your password for 180 days.

Passwords created on or after June 14, 2016, will expire after 180 days.

My password is expired, how do I update it?

For your security, passwords will expire every 180 days unless changed. To update your expired password, please complete the following steps:

1. Access https://my.uspto.gov
2. Select the “Sign in” button that’s found on the secondary navigation or on the “Sign up” widget
3. Enter your email address or username and password.
4. When prompted, enter a new password and retype the new password in the fields provided
5. Select the “Update password” button to sign in

Why do I need to change my password every 180 days?

Changing your password on a regular basis can help ensure the security of your account.

To keep your account secure, please enter your email address you use to sign in with in the designated field.

Afterwards, please verify your account by answering your security questions. This is required in order to proceed with your password reset.
Once verified, the page will notify you that an email was sent to your registered email address and secondary email address (if any).

The email will provide you with instructions and a reset password link. The reset password link will expire in 48 hours so it is advised to check your email and select on the link as soon as possible.

Managing my account - Editing my account

How do I get my deposit authorization code or link my existing payment methods to my new uspto.gov account?

To obtain the deposit account’s authorization code, an authorized user can contact the Receipts Accounting Division (RAD) at 571-272-6500 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

I created an account and setup my security questions, do I need to setup my security questions again on my account page?

No, you do not need to setup your security questions again. The security questions on the account page itself is used in instances where you would like to change your security questions and answers for any reason.

How do I change my account information?

At the top right of the blue navigation bar, you will see your name along with a carat icon next to it. Select your name and you will be given a drop down list of options. One of the options is, “Account,” please select on the link in order to proceed. Once selected, you will be taken your account where you can:

Change your password

Change your email address

Change your security questions

Modify your personal and contact information

View your 10 most recent sign-ins

Can I change the answers to my accounts security questions?

Yes, you can change the answers to the security questions provided when you originally signed up for your account.

At the top right of the blue navigation bar, you will see your name along with a carat icon next to it. Select your name and you will be given a drop down list of options. One of the options is “Account,” please select on the link in order to proceed. Once selected, you will be taken your account page where you can change your security questions.

Managing my account - Two-step authentication

What is two-step authentication?

Two-step authentication is an optional feature that provides an additional layer of security for your MyUSPTO account. Two-step authentication requires an extra piece of information, beyond a username and password. This extra piece of information (often a code) must be something only the user can access.

How is MyUSPTO incorporating two-step authentication?

Email- A 6-digit code will be sent to the primary email address associated with your uspto.gov account
- If the code is not used within 20 minutes, it will no longer be active and a new code will need to be requested

Authentication app- A 6-digit code will be generated by a RFC 6238-compliant authenticator app
- In order to be used, the application will need to be installed and configured on your device

In the Beta Release, why is Oracle Mobile Authenticator the suggested Authenticator application?

A user may configure and use any authenticator app that follows the RFC 6238 hashing algorithm to generate the code, but only the free Oracle Mobile Authenticator app was fully tested and certified for the Beta Release. Testing of other authenticator apps is in progress. Stay tuned for more information on this.

How do I install and set up the authenticator app?

Search for authenticator apps in your device’s app store and install it. Once you have installed the authenticator app please follow the instructions provided to configure it for use with MyUSPTO.

Is two-step authentication optional?

Yes. Two-step authentication provides an additional layer of security for your MyUSPTO account, but it is optional.

How do I enable and setup two-step authentication?

Go to your Account from the drop down menu in the top right corner under your name

Under the Two-step authentication heading, select one of the two available authentication methods: email or authenticator app

The select the checkbox stating “I want to use the two-step authentication method every time I sign into MyUSPTO”

Select the Save button

I opted in to two-step authentication, why are some sites not asking for the second method when logging in?

Not all sites that use the uspto.gov login are currently configured for two-step authentication. Therefore, some sites may not ask for a second authentication method upon logging in, even when the user has opted in to using two-step authentication for logging into MyUSPTO.

Technical concerns

Do I have to enable cookies in order to use my USPTO.gov account?

Yes, cookies must be enabled in order to access any functionality that requires your USPTO.gov account for authentication and authorization.

What is a cookie?

Cookies are small text files that websites put on your computer to store information about you and your preferences.

How do I enable cookies on my browser?

For instructions on how to enable cookies, visit your browser's help resources:

If you fail the reCAPTCHA after five unsuccessful attempts, copy and paste the code you receive as directed to complete the challenge.

reCAPTCHA is not displaying correctly in Internet Explorer 11, how can I resolve this?

reCAPTCHA cannot display correctly if the “Display intranet sites in Compatibility View” is checked. We suggest that you uncheck this box by going into your Compatibility View Settings. You can find the Compatibility View Settings under the tools menu or the gear icon.